{"id":125679,"date":"2021-08-12T19:00:12","date_gmt":"2021-08-12T13:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=125679"},"modified":"2021-08-12T18:44:54","modified_gmt":"2021-08-12T13:14:54","slug":"maritime-security-issues-explained-pointwise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/maritime-security-issues-explained-pointwise\/","title":{"rendered":"Maritime Security Challenges &#8211; Explained, Pointwise"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h5><b>Introduction<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The issue of Maritime Security is being discussed at the global level. India recently hosted the UNSC summit on maritime security. The meeting was chaired by India, as it holds the council\u2019s membership for the month of August.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A cautious discussion and deliberation took place in the meeting over concerning issues like piracy, terrorism, smuggling, etc. The countries understood and acknowledged the importance of joint collaboration for strengthening maritime security and ensuring a rule-based order. Later on, the UNSC adopted a <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/pm-modi-outlines-five-point-framework-for-maritime-security-debate-at-unsc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5 point agenda proposed by the Indian PM<\/a> for tackling maritime security.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>About Maritime Security<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Currently, there is <\/span><b>no common definition of maritime security <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in international relations.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nonetheless, the term includes issues in the maritime domain comprising <strong>national security, marine environment, economic development, and human security<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Besides the world&#8217;s oceans, it also deals with regional seas, territorial waters, rivers, and ports.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>Maritime Security Issues<\/b><\/h5>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Piracy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: There is a persistent threat of pirate attacks on ships, especially around the Somali coast. This jeopardizes trade and commerce.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Terrorism<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: International waters are used by terrorists to execute their operations. For instance, the 2008 Mumbai Attacks occurred due to a maritime security lapse.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Illegal Migration: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">International Oceans are a better way to enter into another country\u2019s territory than taking the land\/air route. Thus, a higher degree of illegal migration happens through maritime waters.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Transnational organized crimes: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The waters are also used for transnational organized crimes that inflict significant harm on the global economy and jeopardize the security of the state.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This includes illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, trafficking in persons, illicit trafficking in firearms, etc.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Environmental catastrophes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The rising pollution level and climate change have enhanced the frequencies of cyclones, floods, etc. catastrophes across the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h5><b>Why is India focusing on Maritime Security?<\/b><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li><b>International Trade: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The country\u2019s major portion of imports and exports is carried on through maritime waters. Thus securing sea lanes of communication is imperative for economic growth.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Huge coastline: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has over 7000 km of coastline which <\/span><b>enhances its vulnerability to maritime threats<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as testified by the 2008 Mumbai attacks.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Chinese Assertion: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">China is increasing its influence in the Indian Ocean region, which may threaten India\u2019s regional interest. Further, it may deter India with its naval might to coerce it on other issues.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For instance, in August 2020, during the Eastern Ladakh class, China sent the Yuan Wang class research vessel into the Indian Ocean.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Blue Economy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: It consists of economic activities dependent on marine resources, comprising 4.1% of India\u2019s economy. The sector has immense future potential, but its development is possible only in a secure marine environment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Technological Advancement<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: A greater focus on maritime security is also desired due to<\/span><b> its rapidly evolving nature<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. For instance, an Israeli ship was attacked recently by a drone in the north Arabian Sea, killing two crew members.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5><b>Mechanisms available against maritime challenges<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>UNCLOS:\u00a0 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is known as the <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/united-nations-convention-on-the-law-of-the-sea-unclos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UN Convention on the Law of the Sea or the Law of the Sea Treaty<\/a>. It defines the rights and responsibilities of nations towards the use of the world\u2019s oceans.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It enshrines the notion that all problems of ocean space are closely interrelated and need to be addressed as a whole.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>SAGAR<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Indian PM put forward the <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/mission-sagar-ii\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SAGAR (Security and Growth for all in the Region)<\/a> vision in 2015. It aims to deepen economic and security cooperation with its maritime neighbors and assist in building their maritime security capabilities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>IPOI<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: SAGAR\u2019s vision was further elaborated through the<\/span><b> Indo-Pacific Oceans\u2019 Initiative (IPOI)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The initiative focused on seven pillars of maritime security &#8211;\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maritime Ecology, Maritime Resources, Capacity Building, and Resource Sharing,\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation and Trade Connectivity and Maritime Transport.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>QUAD<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: It is a strategic dialogue between India, USA, Japan, and Australia. The objective is to ensure and support a \u201cfree, open, and prosperous\u201d Indo-Pacific region.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: It is an international governance mechanism established in New York on January 14, 2009. It aims to facilitate the discussion and coordination of actions among states and organizations to suppress Somali piracy.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5><b>Issues in tackling maritime challenges:<\/b><\/h5>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Non-obedience:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Strong nations are often seen disregarding International Law. For instance, China disobeyed the <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/permanent-court-of-arbitration-pca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Permanent Court of Arbitration<\/a> (PCA\u2019s) award over the South China Sea dispute. The ruling dismissed Beijing\u2019s claims on the entire area in the nine-dashed line in the South China Sea.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Most of the Maritime region is part of the High Seas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: This peculiarity enhances the vulnerability as no individual country can exercise sole jurisdiction on high seas.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a global common and hence many countries refrain from investing their resources for augmenting the security framework of the high seas.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Lacking Universal Character<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The most fundamental treaties concerning maritime security don&#8217;t possess a universal character. For instance, the US has only signed UNCLOS but not ratified it, thus generating scope for violation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>No Consensus on Definition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Decades have been passed since the adoption of UNCLOS. However, nations have failed to build a consensus over a uniform definition of maritime security.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Geopolitical Interests supersede Security Concerns<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Another issue impeding maritime security is the notion of giving primacy to Geopolitical Interests. For instance, Russia\u2019s Geopolitical interests induce it to overlook China\u2019s violation of UNCLOS in the South China Sea region.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h5><b>Suggestions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The recently <\/span><b>adopted 5 point agenda on maritime security by the UNSC should be implemented in letter and spirit<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This includes:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Free maritime trade without barriers to establishing legitimate trade;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Settlement of maritime disputes should be peaceful and on the basis of international law only;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Responsible maritime connectivity should be encouraged;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Need to collectively combat maritime threats posed by non-state actors and natural calamities;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Preserve the maritime environment and maritime resources.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Efforts should be made <\/span><b>for building consensus on the creation of a maritime security body <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in the UNSC, as proposed by the Russian President.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Further, all the <\/span><b>countries must become part of Global treaties like UNCLOS <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in order to foster better cooperation and coordination on maritime security. This would also <\/span><b>help in agreeing to a common definition <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of maritime security.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Countries must realize that seas are our shared heritage and sea routes are the lifeline of international trade. They should collaborate with each other in the spirit of the UN charter, which involves respecting sovereignty, non-intervention in internal affairs, and settling disputes through dialogue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Source<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/india\/explained-whats-maritime-security\/articleshow\/85175697.cms\">Times of India<\/a> , <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/india\/narendra-modi-unsc-debate-maritime-security-7445872\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Indian Express<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction The issue of Maritime Security is being discussed at the global level. India recently hosted the UNSC summit on maritime security. The meeting was chaired by India, as it holds the council\u2019s membership for the month of August. A cautious discussion and deliberation took place in the meeting over concerning issues like piracy, terrorism,&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/maritime-security-issues-explained-pointwise\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Maritime Security Challenges &#8211; Explained, Pointwise<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10322,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[130,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-125679","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-7-pm","category-public","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":{"total":29,"cached_at":1698360474,"cached_date":1698734714},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10322"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=125679"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125679\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}